SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) - Santa Maria police have confirmed the involvement of federal immigration officers in an incident involving an adult U.S. citizen student.
Video surveillance footage confirming the incident has been turned over to the Department of Homeland Security for an investigation.
Early Wednesday morning, Erik Zepeda was walking to a class at Santa Maria High School when he was detained and injured before being released over a mile from campus by what appeared to him to be Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
20-year-old Zepeda’s former teacher and continuing mentor Glenn Goldin describes Erik with limited verbal communication skills due to disability.
An anonymous spokesperson for ICE stated to The Los Angeles Times that the incident was a case of mistaken identity.
Additionally, the spokesperson says agents responded based on their training to a posture of resistance from Zepeda.
A public affairs officer for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sent us the following statement:
"On October 21, ICE was conducting a targeted enforcement operation in Santa Maria, California, when they encountered an individual they believed matched the description of the criminal illegal alien target. When the individual resisted officers, refused lawful commands, and assumed a fighting stance with clenched fists, they relied on their training to safely control the situation until they could confirm his identity, whereupon he was released. Claims that the individual suffered broken bones are FALSE. He never requested medical assistance. ICE law enforcement officers are trained to use the minimum amount of force necessary to resolve dangerous situations to prioritize the safety of the public and our officers. Officers are highly trained in de-escalation tactics and regularly receive ongoing use of force training. ICE has authority for lawful arrests where authorized under 8 USC 1357. Law enforcement officers use ‘reasonable suspicion’ to investigate immigration status and probable cause to make arrests consistent with the statute and the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Supreme Court has already vindicated us on these practices. DHS enforcement operations are highly targeted, and officers do their due diligence. We know who we are targeting ahead of time. If and when we do encounter individuals subject to arrest, our law enforcement is trained to ask a series of well-determined questions to determine status and removability. Our officers are facing more than a 1,600% increase in assaults, a 3,300% increase in vehicle attacks, and an 8,000% increase in death threats. Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, illegal aliens are not welcome in the U.S."
Zepeda says they handcuffed him and put him in the back of their vehicle to drive around a few city blocks before dropping him off near the place they picked him up.
He says they never asked to see his identification, which he had in his wallet through the whole encounter.
Once released, he finished his walk to school, where an ambulance was called to transport him to the hospital for treatment to his visible injuries.
Local city leaders have expressed their disapproval of the incident, and have demanded an independent investigation.
Santa Maria City Councilwoman Gloria Soto issued a statement on the incident:
"This kind of brutality is not okay. There needs to be an independent investigation into how a case of mistaken identity ended with a student hurt this badly."
As ICE operations escalate across the Central Coast, our most vulnerable community members are being subjected to increasingly aggressive and violent enforcement tactics. This incident raises serious concerns about racial profiling and demands public attention and accountability.
The Santa Maria Police Department says surveillance footage from a grocery store across the street does confirm the incident, and the involvement of federal agents."
The footage and evidence has been turned over to DHS for an investigation.
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